High Dominance - My Least Favorite Behavioral Preference

My least favorite behavioral style is: High Dominance.

I think that this is my least favorite behavioral style because: I dislike it when people are blunt, abrupt, and demanding. People with a High Dominance personality may appear to have a lack of empathy. They often lack insight into the feelings and sensitivities of others.

When trying to influence someone with a High Dominance behavioral style, how should one approach him? When approaching someone with a High Dominance style, one should make sure to prepare well before the meeting and have "all ducks in a row," so to speak. Be prepared to use your time efficiently. After greeting the individual, get down to business quickly.

How should you act when trying to influence someone with a High Dominance behavioral style? The High Dominance individual prefers that you ask specific questions, be factual and succinct, and dwell upon results and outcomes. Without going into elaborate detail, provide him with a range of alternatives to choose from in arriving at a decision.

What approach would cause conflict with someone who has a High Dominance behavioral style? If you are disorganized, vague, rambling, and/or stray too far off topic, the High Dominance person may feel that you are wasting his time. Keep social chit chat to a minimum and do not probe into the person's personal life. Asking irrelevant questions, making wild claims, and/or trying to control them or the discussion will cause a rapid deterioration of communications.

What questions would you ask them to persuade or influence them to do something? I would ask specific questions to assess needs. I would also deeply probe into the person's desired outcomes and results.

What statements and phrases would you use? Hello, it's nice to see you today. I scheduled this appointment to discuss the impending expiration of the contract for your office copier. [No social chit chat; get right to the reason for the discussion.] As you know, your copier is an old one, and I would suggest that when renewing your contract, you upgrade to one of our more technologically advanced models. I compiled all the data about your current model and several models a step up from yours for comparison purposes. Because this is a large amount of information to analyze quickly, I have prepared for your review a chart which outlines the pros and cons of each model. [Provide alternatives to choose from in reaching decision.]

How would you get their commitment? I would point out the range of alternatives available and explain how my suggested product would result in better and faster output than the current product.